Assistant Curator (Temporary Contract Position)

POSITION TITLE:	Assistant Curator (Temporary Contract Position)
ORGANIZATION:	Amherstburg Freedom Museum
SALARY :	$16.55/hr
POSITION TERM:	18 Months
TENTATIVE START DATE:	September 30th, 2024
WORK HOURS:	35hr/Week Some Overtime May Be Required
POSITION REPORTS TO:	Curator, Manager of Collections and Research

 

 

A.  POSITION SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Curator, Manager of Collections and Research, and ultimately the Board of Directors, the Assistant Curator promotes the history of the Underground Railroad in Amherstburg.

Responsibilities include driving social media/digital presence and monthly webinars, assisting with the exhibition, conservation and acquisition of artifacts specific to the Museum’s mandate as well as aiding with day-to-day operations of the Museum. 

Please note that this is a temporary contract position covering a maternity leave .

 

B.  ORGANIZATION
ACCOUNTABILITY

               1.     Internal Customers    

·       Board of Directors and its committees

·       Staff, interns and volunteers

                             

               2.           External Customers

·       Interacts with past and prospective donors for the purposes of cultivation, fund-raising and stewardship

·       Interacts with the community at large including individual visitors to the Museum and tour groups

·       Liaises with the Underground Railroad sites and other Amherstburg museums and galleries through committee membership and participation

·       Deals with government and non-government departments and agencies as required

·       Consults with freelance professionals, including but not limited to artists and musicians, on an ad hoc basis

·       Liaises with other key individuals as needed for event management and procurement of goods and supplies

 

               3.   Supervises or Manages

·       Volunteers

·       Students / Interns

C. PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY

 

Attendance

Reports for work on time and ready to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the position, which includes participation in events outside of normal work hours, and on weekends.

 

Mission

Supports the Mission and Values of the Amherstburg Freedom Museum by speaking positively about the organization both internally and externally.

 

Service Expectations

Exemplifies excellent service towards the Board, staff, visitors and community partners.  Shows courtesy, flexibility and respect for/ability to work with diverse populations.

 

D. SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES

 

Practical/Technical Functions

 

Social Media Management

·       Maintain and manage museum social media channels (Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok)

·       Curate a schedule of daily posts across social media platforms

·       Recruit, schedule, and host guest speakers for the museum’s monthly virtual Black History Speaker Series and post across social media platforms

·        Taking photos of events, tours, etc. and sharing them on social media platforms

 

Administrative

• Operate the electronic register point of sale (POS), including processing donations, payments, cash out and gift shop sales
• Booking and scheduling tours and educational groups
• Answering phone and email inquiries in a timely matter
• Assist with day to day administration, including but not limited to filing (physical and electronic), site maintenance, and opening and closing of the museum
• Writing and publishing monthly Talking Drum newsletter

The Collection

• • Assist with the development of integrated programming and exhibits for the museum, Cultural Centre, Taylor Log cabin and Nazrey A.M.E. Church.
  • Maintenance of the museum’s collections of artifacts and archives, prepare condition reports.
  • Cataloguing and maintaining computerized management records for the collection, specifically PastPerfect.

• • Respond to research requests, and public enquiries in a timely manner.
  • Initiate, develop, and administer programs (or assist others in the same activities) to inform and educate school classes and other sections of the public about the collections and exhibits.
  • Conduct tours of the facility, describing the items and their historical significance.
  • Research, prepare and maintain the Family History Series

Fund Raising

·       Research availability of funding and assist in preparing grant requests as required for consideration by government and non-government funding sources

·       Assist in planning and organizing events, including tours, festivals and recognition ceremonies

·       Coordinating the ad sales for the Freedom Booklet/50^th Anniversary Program

·       Collecting silent auction items for fundraising events

Communication

• • Display effective oral and writing skills for public speaking opportunities, correspondence, report writing and preparation of story boards to accompany exhibits
• • Demonstrate the ability to work both collaboratively within a team and independently with minimal direction.
  • Demonstrate strong interpersonal and public relations skills

E.  POSITION SPECIFICATIONS

1.           Education/Qualifications

·       Possess a Certificate in Museum Studies from the Ontario Museum Association; OR a university degree in History, Social Sciences, or the Arts with some Museum experience; OR an equivalent combination of experience, education and training.

·       A strong familiarity with Black Canadian history is an asset 

2.           Experience

·       Experience in a small to medium sized museum is an asset

·       Knowledge of administration and business practices related to museum operation           

3.           Ability / Personal Traits

·        Motivated / self-starter,

·       Demonstrates ability to take on additional tasks with flexibility,

·       Demonstrates organizational skills with ability to plan, organize and prioritize work while handling interruptions with patience and poise,

·       Demonstrates written, oral and IT communications skills,

·       Demonstrates interpersonal and public relations skills to handle people with sensitivity, tact and confidentiality,

·       Entrepreneurial awareness of regional tourism and marketing opportunities that can build the museum as a destination for tours and day-trips,

·       Fluent in the use of Microsoft Office products and social media.  (Knowledge of “Past Perfect” is an asset),

·       Fluency in English is essential with ability in French an asset.

 

F. APPLICATION DETAILS

To apply to this position please submit a resume and cover letter outlining your experience and why you believe you would be a good fit for the position via email to [email protected] no later than September 17^th  at 12:00pm. Please reference the position title in your email application.